Police arrested a suspect in the killing of a Venice man after a possible dispute along the oceanfront boardwalk on Friday, authorities said.
Coroner officials identified the victim as Michael Hall, 49, of Venice. Community members on Friday evening planted prayer candles into the sand forming a shinning “M” near where Hall’s body was found in a tent earlier that day.
Early Friday morning, an individual at the boardwalk encampment near Ocean Front Walk and Dudley Avenue said they heard yelling and a possible fight, the Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement.
Later that day, around 3:20 p.m., the individual noticed one of the tents in the sand had collapsed, and while checking inside had found Hall’s body, which had a blunt force trauma wound.
Fire paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Officers arrested Michael McClain, 38, of Venice at another encampment in the area of Third and Sunset Avenues around 5:53 p.m. and booked him on suspicion of murder, police said.
Police said they learned the victim may have been involved in an ongoing dispute with the suspect and another person living along the boardwalk.
Staff writer Elizabeth Chou contributed to this report.